Envoy at 09:48, 16 June 2007

2007-06-16T09:48:32Z

New page

{{Disputed title|alternate title=Yerba maté}}
:''This article is about the plant, for the drink see [[mate (beverage)]].''
{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Yerba mate
| status = LR/nt
| image = Koeh-074.jpg
| image_width = 257px
| image_caption = ''Ilex paraguariensis''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Aquifoliales]]
| familia = [[Aquifoliaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Ilex]]''
| species = '''''I. paraguariensis'''''
| binomial = ''Ilex paraguariensis''
| binomial_authority = [[A. St. Hil.]]
}}
'''Yerba mate'''<small><sup>[[#Nomenclature|*]]</sup></small>, '''''Ilex paraguariensis''''', is a [[species]] of [[holly]] (family [[Aquifoliaceae]]) native to subtropical [[South America]] in [[Argentina]], southern [[Paraguay]], western [[Uruguay]] and southern [[Brazil]].
<ref>{{IUCN2006|assessors=World Conservation Monitoring Centre|year=1998|id=32982|title=Ilex paraguariensis|downloaded=09 May 2006}}</ref>

The yerba mate plant is a [[shrub]] or small [[tree]] growing up to 15 [[metre|meters]] tall. The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[evergreen]], 7–11 [[centimetre|cm]] long and 3–5.5 cm wide, with a serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are small, greenish-white, with four petals. The [[fruit]] is a red [[berry]] 4–6 mm diameter. <ref>[http://www.ushuaia.pl/yerba/what Yerba mate — what?] at Ushuaia.pl.</ref>

==Infusion==
The infusion called ''[[mate (beverage)|mate]]'' is prepared by steeping dry leaves (and twigs) of yerba mate in hot water, rather than boiling water like black tea or coffee. It is slightly less potent than coffee and much gentler on the stomach. Drinking mate with friends from a shared hollow [[calabash|gourd]] (also called a ''mate'' in Spanish, or ''cabaça'' or ''cuia'' in Portuguese) with a metal straw (a ''bombilla'' in Spanish, ''bomba'' or ''canudo'' in Portuguese) is an extremely common social practice in [[Argentina]], <ref>[http://www.argentinacafe.com/Background/argentina-yerba-mate.htm Yerba Mate: National Drink of Argentina?]</ref><ref>[http://www.zonalatina.com/Zldata109.htm Yerba mate in Argentina]</ref> [[Uruguay]], [[Paraguay]], southern [[Chile]], eastern [[Bolivia]] and [[Brazil]]
<ref>[http://www.mundomatero.com/yerba/ Basic guide to yerba mate].</ref> and also [[Syria]] and [[Lebanon]].

The flavor of brewed yerba mate is strongly vegetal, herbal, and grassy, reminiscent of some varieties of green tea. Many consider the flavor to be very agreeable, but it is generally bitter if steeped in boiling water, so is made using hot but not boiling water. Unlike most teas, it does not become bitter and astringent when steeped for extended periods, and the leaves may be infused several times. Additionally, one can purchase flavored mate in many varieties.

In [[Brazil]], a toasted version of mate, known as ''chá mate'' or "mate tea", is sold in teabag and loose form, and served, sweetened, in specialized shops, either hot or iced with fruit juice or milk. An iced, sweetened version of toasted mate is sold as an uncarbonated [[soft drink]], with or without fruit flavoring. The toasted variety of mate has less of a bitter flavor and more of a spicy fragrance. It is more popular in the coastal cities of [[Brazil]], as opposed to the far southern states where it is consumed in the traditional way (green, drunk with a silver straw from a shared gourd).

Similarly, a form of mate is sold in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay in tea bags to be drunk in a similar way to tea. This is known in Spanish as ''mate cocido'' or ''cocido''. In Argentina this is commonly drunk with breakfast or as part of ''merienda'' (roughly, afternoon tea), often with a selection of ''facturas'' (sweet pastries). It is also made by heating yerba in water and straining it as it cools.

==Nomenclature==
The [[International Phonetic Alphabet|pronunciation]] of ''yerba mate'' in standard [[Spanish language|Spanish]] is {{IPA|[ˈɟɛrβa ˈmate]}}. The [[Rioplatense Spanish|Rioplatense dialect]] spoken in most of Argentina turns the first sound in ''y
erba'' into a [[Postalveolar consonant|postalveolar]] [[fricative consonant]], giving {{IPA|[ˈʃɛrβa]}} in regions closer to [[Buenos Aires]], gradually blending into {{IPA|[ˈʒɛrβa]}} as one goes farther from the city, and eventually to {{IPA|[dʒɛrβa]}} around [[Mendoza, Argentina|Mendoza]]. The word ''hierba'' is [[Spanish language|Spanish]] for grass or herb; ''yerba'' is a variant spelling of it which is quite common in Argentina. ''Mate'' is from the [[Quechua]] ''mati'', meaning "cup". ''Yerba mate'' is therefore literally the "cup herb".

The (Brazilian) Portuguese name is ''erva mate'' {{IPA|[ˈɛrva ˈmati]}} (also pronounced as {{IPA|[ˈɛrva ˈmate]}} in some regions) and is also used to prepare the drinks ''[[chimarrão]]'' (hot) or ''[[tereré]]'' (cold). While the tea is made with the toasted leaves, these drinks are made with green ones, and are very popular in the south of the country. The name given to the plant in [[Guaraní language|Guaraní]], language of the indigenous people who first cultivated and enjoyed yerba mate, is ''ka'a'', which has the same meaning as ''yerba''.

In [[English language|English]]-speaking countries, the spelling used is ''yerba maté'' (with an accented ''é'')<ref>The New Oxford American Dictionary</ref><ref>The Oxford English Dictionary</ref><ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/yerba%20mate American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language]</ref><ref>[http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/features/chref/chref.py/main?query=yerba+mate&title=21st&sourceid=Mozilla-search Chambers Reference Online]</ref><ref>the [http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/yerba%20mate Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary]</ref><ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9051368/mate Encyclopædia Britannica]</ref><ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/65/x-/X-yerbamat.html Columbia Encyclopedia]</ref> —instead of ''yerba mate'' (without accent) as in Spanish— indicating that the pronunciation is not the same as the much more common English word "[[mate]]", by analogy with words of [[French language|French]] origin such as ''café'' and other words whose ''é'' distinguishes their pronunciation from otherwise identically spelled English words, such as ''résumé'' and ''resume''. [[prescriptive linguistics|Linguistic prescriptivists]] regard this usage as erroneous, a case of [[hypercorrection]]. Purely [[descriptive linguistics|descriptive linguists]] regard this sort of usage as a natural evolution of the [[language]]. (''See'' [[Linguistic prescription]].)

==Cultivation==
[[Image:Yerba Mate.jpg|thumb|250px|Yerba mate]]
The plant is grown mainly in [[South America]], more specifically in Northern [[Argentina]] ([[Corrientes Province|Corrientes]], [[Misiones Province|Misiones]]), [[Paraguay]], [[Uruguay]] and southern [[Brazil]] ([[Rio Grande do Sul]], [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]] and [[Paraná (state)|Paraná]]). The [[Guaraní]] are reputed to be the first people who cultivated the plant; the first Europeans to do this were [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] [[missionary|missionaries]], who spread the drinking habit as far as [[Ecuador]].<ref>Ross W. Jamieson "The Essence of Commodification: Caffeine dependencies in the early modern world", Journal of Social History, Winter 2001 http://www.yerba-mate.com/yerba_mate_history.htm</ref>

When the yerba is harvested, the branches are dried sometimes with a wood fire, imparting a smoky flavor. Then the leaves and sometimes the [[twig]]s are broken up.

There are many brands and types of yerba, with and without twigs, some with low powder content. Some types are less strong in flavor (''suave'', "soft") and there are blends flavored with [[Mentha|mint]], [[orange (fruit)|orange]] and [[grapefruit]] skin, etc.

== Chemical composition and properties ==
[[Image:Yerba Mate leafs.jpg|thumb|250px|Leaves of yerba mate]]
[[Image:Mate mit Stengeln.jpg|thumb|250px|Yerba mate with stems]]
Mate contains [[xanthine]]s, which are [[alkaloid]]s in the same family as [[caffeine]], [[theophylline]], and [[theobromine]], well-known stimulants also found in [[coffee]] and [[chocolate]]. Ma
te also contains elements such as [[potassium]], [[magnesium]] and [[manganese]]. <ref>[http://www.mundomatero.com/yerba/Chemical-Features.html Mundo Matero - Chemical Features]</ref> Caffeine content varies between 0.3% and 1.7% of dry weight (compare this to 2.5–4.5% for tea leaves, and 1.5% for ground coffee).

Mate products are sometimes marketed as "caffeine-free" alternatives to coffee and tea, and said to have fewer negative effects. This is often based on a claim that the primary active xanthine in mate is "mateine", erroneously said to be a [[stereoisomer]] of [[caffeine]] (as it is not chemically possible for caffeine to have a stereoisomer). "[[Mateine]]" is an official synonym of [[caffeine]] in the chemical databases.
<ref>[http://www.erowid.org/plants/yerba_mate/yerba_mate_chemistry1.shtml Does ''Yerba Mate'' Contain Caffeine or Mateine?]</ref>

Researchers at [[Florida International University]] in Miami have found that yerba mate does contain caffeine, but some people seem to tolerate a mate drink better than coffee or tea. This is expected since mate contains different chemicals (other than caffeine) from tea or coffee.

From reports of personal experience with mate, its physiological effects are similar to (yet distinct from) more widespread caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, or [[guarana]] drinks. Users report a mental state of wakefulness, focus and alertness reminiscent of most [[stimulants]], but often remark on mate's unique lack of the negative effects typically created by other such compounds, such as anxiety, diarrhea, "jitteriness", and heart palpitations. (The laxative effect of coffee derives from a substance that surrounds the raw bean, not the caffeine itself.)

Reasons for mate's unique physiological attributes are beginning to emerge in scientific research. Studies of mate, though very limited, have shown preliminary evidence that the mate xanthine cocktail is different from other plants containing caffeine most significantly in its effects on [[muscle|muscle tissue]], as opposed to those on the [[central nervous system]], which are similar to those of other natural stimulants. Mate has been shown to have a relaxing effect on [[smooth muscle|smooth muscle tissue]], and a stimulating effect on [[Cardiac muscle|myocardial (heart)]] tissue.<ref>RainTree Nutrition, Tropical Plant Database. [http://www.rain-tree.com/yerbamate.htm Yerba mate].</ref>

Mate's negative effects are anecdotally claimed to be of a lesser degree than those of coffee, though no explanation for this is offered or even credibly postulated, except for its potential as a placebo effect. Many users report that drinking yerba mate does not prevent them from being able to fall asleep, as is often the case with some more common stimulating beverages, while still enhancing their energy and ability to remain awake at will. However, the net amount of caffeine in one preparation of yerba mate is typically quite high, in large part because the repeated filling of the mate with hot water is able to extract the highly-soluble xanthines extremely effectively. It is for this reason that one mate may be shared among several people and yet produce the desired stimulating effect in all of them.

In-vivo and in-vitro studies are showing yerba mate to exhibit significant cancer-fighting activity. Researchers at the University of Illinois (2005) found yerba mate to be "rich in phenolic constituents" and to "inhibit oral cancer cell proliferation".
<ref>Pixie Maté. [http://pixiemate.com/mate-studies.html Studies on Yerba mate healthy energy].</ref>

On the other hand, a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer showed a limited correlation between oral cancer and the drinking of hot mate (no data were collected on drinkers of cold mate). Given the influence of the temperature of water, as well as the lack of complete adjustment for age, alcohol consumption and smoking, the study concludes that mate is "not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans". <ref>[http://www.inchem.org/documents/iarc/vol51/03-mate.html Inte
rnational Agency for Research on Cancer, Mate Research]</ref>

An August 11, 2005 United States patent application (documents #20050176777, #20030185908,<ref>[http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=20030185908&OS=20030185908&RS=20030185908 US Patent description] of "Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors and uses thereof"</ref> and #20020054926) cites yerba mate extract as an inhibitor of MAO activity; the maximal inhibition observed ''in vitro'' was 40–50%. A [[monoamine oxidase inhibitor]] is a type of [[antidepressant]], so there is some data to suggest that yerba mate has a calming effect in this regard.

In addition, it has been noted by the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine that yerba mate can cause high blood pressure when used in conjunction with other MAO inhibitors (such as [[Nardil]] and [[Parnate]]).
<ref>[http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/dhpw/Wellness/dietary/YerbaMate.pdf Dietary supplemental fact sheet] from the [http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/ U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine].</ref>

Emerging research also shows that Yerba Mate preparations can alter the concentration of members of the ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (E-NTPDase) family, resulting in an elevated level of extracellular ATP,ADP, and AMP. This was found with chronic ingestion (15 days)of an aqueous Yerba extract, and can lead to a novel mechanism for manipulation of vascular regenerative factors.[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8D-4F320M5-2&_user=10&_coverDate=02%2F10%2F2005&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=826d9db861d7299fb15e668c9c666d03].

==See also==
{{commons|Ilex paraguariensis}}
* [[Mate (beverage)]]
* [[Materva]] (mate soft drink)
* [[Yaupon Holly]]
* [[Black drink]]
* ''[[Ilex guayusa]]''
* [[Chimarrão]] (Brazilian mate infusion)
* [[Tereré]] (another type of infusion)
* [[Ku Ding tea]] ''Ilex kudingcha''

==References==
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Aquifoliales]]
[[Category:Flora of Brazil]]
[[Category:Latin American cuisine]]
[[Category:Herbal and fungal stimulants]]
[[Category:Herbal tea]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Monoamine oxidase inhibitors]]

Yerba mate - Revision history

Envoy at 09:48, 16 June 2007